If nothing else, South Carolina under Frank Martin has learned how to peak at the right time.
Over Martin’s eight seasons, the Gamecocks have made the NCAA Tournament just once — but of course, that single NCAA Tournament appearance saw the Gamecocks get all the way to the Final Four. Since then, after an expected rebuilding year in 2017-18, South Carolina got off to slow starts in each of the last two seasons — but both seasons saw them finish with an SEC record over .500. That included a 2018-19 campaign, in which South Carolina ended December with a 5-7 record and then went 11-7 in SEC play, good for a fourth-place finish.